“Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt credited Taylor Swift for playing a pivotal role in Travis Kelce’s success. He emphasized that Swift has been instrumental in providing moral support, encouraging Kelce to play smart and work hard.”

Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has shut down claims that Taylor Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce is all for show. In an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Jan. 12, Hunt stated that the romance between the pop star and the tight end is “purely organic.

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“When they were just starting off dating, there were a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, it’s a marketing stunt.’ But no, it’s very real,” he added. “And as I said, the most important thing is we’re happy for the two of them.”

Sharing that he got to meet the GRAMMY winner personally, Clark said, “She’s just as sweet as she can be. I also got to see her play here twice this past summer, and what an incredible performer. Just one of the most amazing artists of our time.

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But Clark couldn’t deny that the pair’s blossoming relationship has been a boon for the Chiefs when it comes to publicity.”It’s been a very interesting, very fun year having the two of them dating, the attention that’s been focused on the Chiefs,” Clark said. “Our female audience has grown leaps and bounds.”

Taylor first made headlines for sitting next to Travis’ mom, Donna Kelce, at the first game she attended in support of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end on Sept. 24, 2023. Since then, the singer has become a mainstay at Chiefs games, especially as Travis’ NFL season comes to an end.

Her appearances have been heavily featured in NFL promotions and highlighted during games, an occurrence that has led to a growing controversy surrounding the NFL’s focus on her presence.

Travis, 34, himself acknowledged the heightened attention during an episode of his and brother Jason’s podcast, New Heights. During the podcast, 35-year-old Jason, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, raised the question of whether the NFL was “overdoing it” with its Taylor-themed promos and constant cutting to the celeb suite throughout the games.

Travis responded, “I think it’s fun when they show who was at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time I think–”

Jason interjected, “They’re overdoing it,” with Travis concurring, “They’re overdoing it a little bit for sure, especially my situation. [But] I think they’re just trying to have fun with it.”

The NFL has defended itself in a statement, saying, “We frequently change our bios and profile imagery based on what’s happening in and around our games, as well as culturally. The Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce news has been a pop cultural moment we’ve leaned into in real time, as it’s an intersection of sport and entertainment, and we’ve seen an incredible amount of positivity around the sport.”